Chapter 56

The sun was lazily sliding toward the horizon, turning the beach into a canvas of gold and pink. Lisa kicked off her flip-flops, letting the sand squish between her toes, and ran ahead toward the gentle waves. Jennie followed slowly, balancing a small cooler in one hand and adjusting her straw hat with the other, trying not to look too flustered by Lisa’s boundless energy.

“This is amazing, isn’t it?” Lisa called over her shoulder, bending down to inspect a perfect seashell.

Jennie smiled, letting the soft breeze play with her hair. “Yeah… amazing. Just… don’t get lost, okay? I have to set up our spot first.”

Lisa waved without looking and stepped a little closer to the water… and then, in the blink of an eye, let out a strangled yelp.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

Jennie’s eyes snapped wide open. Her straw hat flew into the sand as she sprinted toward Lisa, leaving the cooler behind. “LISA?! WHAT HAPPENED?! ARE YOU DYING?!”

Lisa was hopping on one foot, face twisted in a mix of pain and shock. “I… I think I… stepped on… something sharp… it’s—OW—on my foot!”

Jennie skidded to a stop beside her, crouching dramatically and clutching Lisa’s arm. “Something sharp? WHAT? WHAT DID YOU STEP ON?!” Her voice hit a pitch that could have been registered as a national emergency alert.

Lisa tried to stay calm. “I… uh… it’s a sea urchin, I think. Just a small one—ow, ow—”

“A SEA URCHIN?!” Jennie shrieked, launching into full catastrophic mode. “OH MY GOD, LISA! A SEA URCHIN CAN—CAN—KILL YOU! NO, DON’T MOVE! HOLD STILL! I WILL SAVE YOU!”

Lisa blinked at her, suppressing a giggle despite the throbbing pain. “Jennie… babe… I’m fine… it just stings a bit…”

“STINGS A BIT?!!” Jennie’s hands flew to her face as though Lisa had just confessed to stepping on a landmine. She looked around wildly. “SOMEONE CALL THE LIFEGUARD! NO—BRING ME WATER! ANYONE! HELP! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! SHE MIGHT DIE—OH MY GOD, LISA, YOU COULD LOSE A FOOT, YOUR LIFE, YOUR EVERYTHING!”

Two lifeguards, who had been relaxing under their umbrellas, jumped to their feet and hurried over, exchanging concerned looks.

“It’s okay,” one said carefully. “We can remove the spines and clean the wound. She’ll be fine.”

Jennie whirled on them. “FINE?! FINE? THIS IS A SPINY MURDER MACHINE! LOOK AT HER FOOT! IT’S SPIKY! IT’S—IT’S EVIL! HOW CAN YOU SAY FINE?!”

Lisa bit her lip, laughter threatening to escape. “Jennie… it’s just—ow—it’s tiny. I’ll be fine…”

“No!” Jennie snapped, grabbing Lisa’s hands. “I WILL NOT LET YOU BE FINE WITHOUT ME FREAKING OUT FIRST! I SWEAR, I WILL FIGHT THIS SEA URCHIN MYSELF!” She glared at the small creature with such intensity it was almost frightening.

The lifeguards knelt and started carefully removing the spines while Jennie hovered like a panicked hawk. She muttered non-stop, switching rapidly between frantic instructions and desperate reassurances.

“Okay… no… don’t pull it! Wait! Is that one moving? OH MY GOD, IT’S MOVING! IT’S ALIVE! IT’S EVIL! LISA, HOLD MY HAND! HOLD IT TIGHT! I WILL NOT LET YOU GO—”

Lisa couldn’t help it. She laughed, soft and warm, and Jennie froze, glaring at her like she had just committed a cardinal sin.

“YOU… YOU’RE LAUGHING?!” Jennie gasped, clutching Lisa’s hands even tighter. “YOU COULD BE DYING, AND YOU’RE LAUGHING?!”

“I’m laughing because… you’re ridiculously chaotic,” Lisa said, trying to stifle another giggle. “And… I love you for it.”

Jennie blinked, slightly deflated by the compliment, then resumed her frenzy. “LOVE ME? I’M IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRISIS! THIS SEA urchin—THIS MONSTER—COULD—COULD—POISON YOU!” She turned to the lifeguards. “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. SHE’S MY WIFE. MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS! I NEED PROOF YOU’RE QUALIFIED TO DEAL WITH THIS!”

One lifeguard gave a patient smile. “We’ve handled plenty of sea urchin stings, ma’am. She’s going to be okay.”

Jennie huffed dramatically, pacing in a small circle while muttering to herself. “PLENTY? THAT DOESN’T COUNT! THIS IS LISA! MY LISA! THIS IS A PERSONAL CRISIS! SHE’S THE LOVE OF MY LIFE! AND YOU’RE TREATING THIS LIKE IT’S TUESDAY?”

Lisa, now seated in the sand with Jennie hovering protectively, grabbed Jennie’s face gently. “Jennie… look at me. It’s okay. I’m okay. See?”

Jennie’s eyes filled with tears, part panic, part relief. “Okay… okay… but… I’m still going to make sure you’re the most protected human being in the universe. First-aid kit, emergency ice packs, anti-venom… I’ll carry all of it everywhere from now on. Even to the bathroom.”

Lisa laughed fully now, leaning into Jennie’s arms. “You’re ridiculous.”

Jennie rested her forehead against Lisa’s, finally allowing herself to breathe. “Ridiculous… yes. But only because I love you. And only because I panicked for your life. That’s a valid reason, right?”

Lisa kissed her softly. “Completely valid. Now… let’s go sit. No more running off. No more sea urchins. No more chaos.”

Jennie grinned, her hands still gently squeezing Lisa’s. “No promises on the chaos part. But I do promise to never, ever let anything hurt you without me losing my mind first.”

And as the waves lapped at their feet and the sun sank lower, Lisa realized that no amount of pain, spikes, or chaotic Jennie meltdowns could ruin their perfect beach day. In fact, it just made it theirs.